When a snowblower auger starts to malfunction, this will cause the entire machine to break down and not perform as required.
This is why it’s essential to figure out what is causing the snowblower auger to loosen and not work as it should.
A common problem reported back is when the snowblower auger spins when not engaged.
If the snowblower auger spins when not engaged, this means the shear pins are damaged. To fix the issue, find replacement shear pins, remove the old shear pins, apply grease to the auger, and then screw in the new pins.
This process will only take a few minutes as long as the broken pieces are removed properly. You do not want anything wedged in the auger as that will not let it spin.
This article is going to take a look at how to fix a snowblower auger that spins when not engaged and what to use.
Table of Contents
How To Fix Snowblower Auger That Spins When Not Engaged
1. Inspect The Shear Pins
The first step is going to be to look at the shear pins.
These are specifically designed to help the auger stop as soon as it hits something solid. Since this happens a lot when you are moving the snowblower around, you want to make sure the safety mechanism is fully functional.
If not, you are going to end up damaging the snowblower and this is not a good thing at all.
You will want to take the time to think about how the shear pins function.
If they are damaged, it is going to become difficult for you to get the snowblower to work. This will also create a scenario where the auger continues to spin awkwardly and that does not let the machine work as it is supposed to.
This is why whenever there are issues with the shear pins, you will want to be quick to act.
2. Remove The Broken Shear Pins
You should always take the time to remove the broken shear pins.
Broken shear pins will have remnants left behind that you are going to need to look out for. What you don’t want to deal with is a situation where the shear pins are damaged and do not last as long as they should.
This is a common issue and you are not going to want to keep using the snowblower in this condition as it will break down and/or other components will get ruined including the auger.
Take your time to pick out the broken shear pins and make sure all of them are removed.
After you are sure they are removed, discard the shear pins and begin working on replacing them with a compatible alternative.
3. Apply Grease To The Auger
You will want to always prep the surface where the shear pins are going to go.
In most cases, shear pins don’t break without reason.
There is going to be a specific issue that it will deal with causing the pin to not work as it should. This is why you will want to not only check to see if the shear pins are intact but also make sure the surface is prepared for new shear pins.
This is when you are going to want to take grease and apply it to where the shear pins are going to go.
This will ensure the auger spins as it should when the shear pins are in place.
4. Screw In The New Pins
The last step is going to be to take the new replacement shear pins and install them into the snowblower.
You will want to take your time doing this to make sure the pins don’t move around too much. This is what causes major issues for people that want to keep things as safe as possible.
You don’t want to take a risk when it comes to this.
Always look to screw in the new pins and be as patient as you can be.
You will want to test the snowblower auger to see if it remains loose. If it does, you have not set the shear pin properly and it needs to be reset.
Final Thoughts
Look into these steps if the snowblower auger spins when not engaged.
If the snowblower auger spins when not engaged, this means the shear pins are damaged. To fix the issue, inspect the shear pins, remove the broken pieces, apply grease to the auger, and then add the replacement shear pins.
This is how you are going to get the auger to work as you want it to.
A lot of people make mistakes when it comes to something like this and that is what you are not going to want to deal with.
If you are patient, you will see excellent results and the auger will remain safe too.
